Car-truck.



J. T. HALSBY.

GAR TRUCK.

APPLICATION HLBD 215.11, 1911,

LOQAS Patented 116211224, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FI@ l FIG 1 lmwwtor amas Tja/kheb?,

n 1 yd/W w; mw

J. T. HALSBY.

GAR TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8,1911, I 1,091,481 Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG I gti/M 7 dm J. T. HALSBY.

GAR TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.8,1911.

1 9G91 A8 l. Patend Mar. 24, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Ivi/159Mo Cmshfasey,

Wmo L M6' Unirnn srarnsrarniwr orrioii.

JAMES T. HALSEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PHILADEL-PHIA HOLDING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFDELAWARE.

' CAB-TRUCK.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES T. HALSEY, ofPhiladelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car Trucks, whereofthe following Vis a speciiication, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

I use the term car as comprehending broadly any wheeled vehicle which isadapted to run upon a iailed track. I also use the term truck ascomprehending broadly any structure adapted to support the body of a carwith relation to the axle of the car wheels, irrespective of theparticular character or details of such supporting structure. y

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I, is a top or plan view, showingthe skeleton of the under-frame of a four-wheel car provided with a pairof trucks embodying my invention. Fig. II, is a partial side elevationthereof, showing portions of the uprights of the car body. Figs. III,and IV, are diagrammatic views illustrating the behavior of the trucksand car body in passing along right and left hand curves, respectively.Fig. V, is a detail view, showing, in vertical section, a preferred formof the pivotal supporting connection which intervenes between the carand the truck. Fig. VI, is a detail view showing a modification of thetraveling support which intervenes between the car and the truck. Fig.VII, is a top or plan view of a modified forni of my improvements asapplied to an eight-wheel car, having a pair of trucks embodyingmyinvention, and Fig. VIII, is a partial side elevation of the structureshown in Fig. VII.

The main object of my invention is to facilitate the travel of a carupon curved portions of a track, by permittingand insuring such movementof the wheels and their respective axles with relation to the car body,as will tend to minimize undesirable resistance between the wheelflanges and the rails.

Among the important practical results are the following: The lateralpressure and the consequent wear of the wheel flanges againstthe railsare minimized, thus prolonging the life of the wheel; the consumption ofpower is lessened; the tendency to derailment is Specification ofLetters Patent. Patentd Mar. 24, 19ML Appiieation mea February s, 1911.

Serial No. 607,290.r

diminished; and an increased length of wheel-base of certain types ofcars is permitted.

As is well known, the maximum wheel base which is practicallypermissible in four-.wheel cars of the ordinary type, is determined byreference to the curve of shortest radius in the track, upon which thecar is normally intended to travel, and the limitations imposed by thisrelation are attended with serious `economic disadvantages both in theconstruction and operation of such cars. By the use of my improvements,the wheel base of a four-wheeled car may be lengthened to practicallyany limit which is desirable, without relation to the nature of thecurves of the track upon which the car is intended to travel.

I will now proceed to describe an embodi ment of my invention in apreferred form, which, however, is susceptible of various modifications,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to Figs. I, and II, 1, indicates conventionally the underframe of the car body, and 2, 3, the car trucks, each of which, in thisinstance, is provided with a single axle and pair of wheels. The axle 0fthe truck 2, is indicated at 4, and the wheels thereof at 5, and 6, thetruck 3, having an axle 7, and wheels 8, and 9. It. is deemedunnecessary to describe the journal boxes, springs, brake mechanism orother adjuncts, since these features may be of any of the ordinary typesin use, and are not directly related to iny invention. Furthermore,since the two trucks and the elements comprised therein which embody myinvention, are substantially duplicates of one another, (except for thereversal of position of certain parts with relation to the median planeof the structure), it will not be necessary to describe in detail all ofthe similar elements in both, the difference in location of thecorresponding parts being, however, pointed out.

Referring to the left hand end of Figs. I, and II, the truck 2, isprovided, upon the side which is nearest to the observer, with a hollowbearing 12, having a vertical cylindrical opening 13, surrounded by anoutwardly projecting annular flange 14 (see Fig. V), which parts may becast integrally ing face plate 15, bolted to the side thereof.

Thel axis of the pivotal supporting connection thus constituted shouldpreferablyintersect the axis of the axle 4, but is locatedA at asubstantial distance, laterally, from the longitudinal center of saidaxle. In the instance shown, the pivot is arranged above one extremityof said axle and beyond the outerface of the car wheel upon that side, aposition which develops `in a very high degree the advantages of myinvention, but the location of the pivotal point, as will be hereafterexplained, is not necessarily thus limited.

This pivotal connection supports the carbody at one side, and permitsthe car-body and truck to swing with relation to one another, around afixed axis located at a distance from the median plane'of the carwheels. At the side of thetruck opposite to this pivotal connection Iprovide a traveling support, which intervenes between the car body andthe truck, and which is adapt-- ed to `sustain the car body at thatside, while permitting swinging movement of the truck and axle, withrelation to the carbody, about the axis ofy said pivotal connection. Thedetails of this traveling support can most readily be seen by referenceto the truck 3, which is at the right hand end of Figs. I, and II, whereit will be noted that two uprights 22, and 23, are rigidly mounted uponthe side of the truck, which is nearest to the observer, said uprightscarrying friction rollers 24:, and 25, respectively, which are arrangedbeneath a track 21', preferably formed of a segmental flat bar, securedupon the bottom of the side beam 11, of the under frame, so that the carbody rests at that region upon saidppair of friction rollers. The axesof said rollers should be arranged radially with relation to the axis ofthe pivotal support 26, upon the opposite side of the truck'3, V(whichcorresponds with the support 16, above described in connection with thetruck 2) and the segmental track 21, should be concentric with saidaxis. As above stated, the trucks 2, and 3, are counterparts inconstruction, the only difference of arrangement being that thepositions of the pivotal supporting vconnection and traveling supportsare reversed with relation to the median plane of the structure, asshown in the drawings,

The trucks 2, and 3, are connected together, at points on. oppositesides of the median plane, by means of a rigid diagonal link 1,8, whichispivotally attached to the truck 2, at 19, and to the truck 3, at 20.This' link constitutes the preferred means for limiting the extent ofthe swinging movements referred to, and for correlating said movements,as will now lbe described by reference to the diagrammatic views ofFigs. III, and IV. In order to avoid complication, I have omitted fromthese figures most of the details of the structure, and have onlyindicated the general outline of the essential elements, and aconventional representation of a curved track, showing approximately.the theoretical lines of contact between the The car, whose railsandthe wheel flanges. under-frame is represented at 1, is in eachinstance, supposed to be running, in the direction of the arrow, andupon a track, which has a curved portion; in Fig. III, the curve 3, ofthe track 30, commences at 31. The leading portion of the flange of thewheel 8, upon the forward axle 7, engages with the inner face of itsrail, at the commencement of the curve, and the rearward portion of theflange of the wheel 6, also engages with the inner face of its rail. Theresistance thus occasioned tends to shift the wheels laterally andtoward a position in which the axle 7, would become approximately radialto the curve. In the effort of the parts to attain this position thetruck 3, is swung rearwardly upon the pivot 26. The thrust upon the link18, occasioned by this movement, tends to swing the oppositeA end of therear truck 2, rearwardly upon the pivotal connection 16, but since thewheels 5, and 6, are still upon the straight portion of the track, thiseffort to swing the rear tru'ck is resisted by the lateral contact of'the flanges of its wheels with the tracks, and consequently the carbody itself tends to swing with relation to the rear truck, upon thepivot 16, so that the front end of the car moves toward the center ofthe curve. The resultant of the several movements is thatall fourwheels, approach as nearly as possible to positions where, considered asa group, they encounter the least general resistance. IVhen the wheelsof the rear truck also enter the curve, the" change of resistance due tothe contact of their flanges with the sides of the rails, occasions acorrelated movement of the trucks and car-body, in the effort to assumepositions of least general resistance for the whole group of wheelflanges, and when the front wheels leave the curve a'ld lrenter upon astraight track, a further correlated movement of the trucks and car-bodytakes place, tending toward the same general result, It will thus beseen that the combined mode o-f operation, when either or both pairs ofwheels are running upon a curved track, tends to permit the flanges ofthe wheels, considered as a group, to assume positions of least generalresistance with relation to the rails.

sol

In Fig. IV, the curve 32 is represented in the reverse direction fromthat of Fig. III, and it will be obvious that a generally similar actionoccurs, the difference being that the effort of the first truck to movetoward a position, in which its axle would become radial to the curve,exerts a pull upon the link 18, instead of a thrust. The correlatedmovements of the trucks and the car body are in a certain sense theconverse of that above described, but result, as before, in an approachtoward a position of leastgeneral resistance of all the wheels,considered as a group, with relation to the rails.

In Fig. VI, I have shown a modification of the traveling support, thefeature of difference being tIiat the segmental track 35, is formed withtwo double-inclined portions 86, and 3T, respectively, so that as thetruck swings in either direction from a position in which the axles areat right angles to the median plane of the car, each of the rollers 88,and 39, will be forced against the incline, and the weight of the carbody will tend to move the truck toward its former position, but as theincline is slight, the increase of resistance thus occasioned will notinjuriously affect the operation of the other elements.

Referring now to Figs. VII and VIII, in which a modified generalarrangement is shown, it will be noted that the car body (the skeletonof whose under-frame is indicated at 40) is provided with two trucks 41,and 42, respectively, each truck having a pair of axles and four wheels.The axles of the truck 41, are indicated at 43, and 44, and the wheelsthereof at 45, 46, and 47, 48, respectively, t-he axles of the fronttruck 42, being indicated at 50, and 51, and the wheels thereof at 52,53, and 54, 55, respectively.

Referring to the truck which is at the left hand end of Figs. VII, andVIII, the pivotal supporting connection between the truck and the carbody is indicated at 60, the main features being generally similar tothose previously described in connection with the two-wheeled truck, andthe axis of the pivotal support being at a distance laterally from themedian plane of the structure, but the position of the pivot isintermediate between the two axles 43, and 44, and it is located uponthe inner side of the beam 62, in this instance, as indicated in thedrawings. Referring to the opposite side of the truck, the travelingsupport which intervenes between the car body and the truck, is similarin its general character to that'frst above described, but in thisinstance the positions of the parts are shown as reversed. Thus, thesegmental tracks 63, and 64, are mounted upon the truck, and thefriction rollers 66. and 67, are mounted on the under side of the carbody, the axes of the said rollers be- I ing radial to the axis of thepivotal connection at 60, and the curvature of the segi the vehicle bodyat points in the medianments 63, and 64, being concentric with thelatter. The other truck 42, is a counterpart of the one just described,except for the reversal of the positions of the pivotal supportingconnection and traveling support with relation to the median plane ofthe structure, as will be obvious from inspection of Figs. VII, andVIII. A rigid connecting link 68, is pivotally attached to the truck 41,at 69, and to the truck 42, at '70. The mede of operation of thecombined parts in this form of my invention is generally simi! lar tothat previously described, a correlated movement of the two trucks andthe car body, occurring from the operation of the same causes, but beingmodified in its details by reason of the fact that the resistancebetween the car flanges and the rails is developed at a greater numberof points, and that the axes of swinging movements are somewhatdifferently located with respect to the axles themselves.

In both forms of the invention above described, as well as in any othermodifications which embody theessential principles of construction, thegeneral result of the correlated movements which are permitted andeffected tends toward an equalization of the resistance encountered byall the wheel flanges, considered as a group, the effort of the partsbeing to approach a position of minimum general resistance.

In the foregoing specification, I have de scribed a pivot and adjacentbearing surfaces as constituting the supporting connection between thecar and the truck, and I have described the traveling support ascomprising friction rollers and a track or tracks. It must be understoodhowever, that `I do not limit rnvinvention in its broad aspect,

to the use of these specific elements, it being only necessary, in sofar as concerns the cliarzu-teristic swinging action, that there shouldhe supporting means for the car, of such character as to permit andcontrol rotative movement thereof. with relation to the axle, (or viceversa), about a substantially definite vertical axis, located laterallywith relation to what may be considered as the longitudinal center ofthe axle. Since, however, such central point is really determined by itsrelation to the bearing faces of the wheel flanges, I consider the mostappropriate definition of its location to be that it is in the medianplane of the wheels carried by such axle. such axis of rotative movementis preferablv situated near the extremity of the axle, its location isnot thus restricted, the only essential being that it should be at asubstantial distance laterally from the median plane of the wheelscarried by said axle.

I am aware that it is not new, in wheeled vehicles having axlespivotally connected to While as above stated,

plane of the wheels, to connect said axles by means of a diagonal link,and I therefore do not broadly claim the use of such a diagonalconnection'. I am also aware that it is not new to provide car truckswith traveling supports of various kinds intermediate between the carand the truck and intended to permit bodily movement of one of theseelements with relation to the other, and I do not broadly claim the useof such supports.

My invention is characterized by the fact 'that' the supportingconnection which intervenes between the car and the truck is adapted topermit relative rotative movement of the parts about a substantiallydefinite vertical axis which is located at a distance laterally from themedian plane of the wheels, thus producing a wholly different generalresult from that which is found in other vehicle structures.

I claim:

l. The combination, with a car, an axle and a pair of wheelscarried bysaid axle; of supporting means for the car, intervening between it andthe axle, said means being adapted to permit rotative movement of thecar, with relation to the axle, about a substantially definite verticalaxis located at a lateral distance from the median plane of the wheelscarried by said axle; and means for controlling the extent of saidrotative movement.

2. The combination, with a car; of a pair of trucks each having an axleand Wheels carried thereby; each of said trucks being provided withsupporting means for the car, adapted to permit rotative movementthereof, with relation to the truck, about a substantially definitevertical axis located at a lateral distance fromthe median plane of thewheels of said truck, the said axes of rotative movement being arrangedon opposite sides of said median plane; and means for correlating therespective rotative movements.

, 3. The combination, with a car; of a pair of trucks each havingan axleand wheels; each of said trucks being provided with a supportingconnection for the car, adapted to permit rotative movement thereof,with relation to the truck, about a substantially definite vertical axislocated vat a lateral distance from the median plane of the Wheels ofsuch truck, said axes of rotative movement being on opposite sides ofsaid median plane; each of said trucks being also provided with meansfor freely supporting the car upon that side of the median plane whichis opposite to the said supporting connection of such truck; andconnecting` means for vsaid trucks, extending betweend points eachtruck,'intervening vbetween saidtruck and the car, andadapted to permitrelative rotative movement between each truck and Vthe car about a fixedvertical axis located at a lateral distance from the median plane of thewheels of such truck, the said axes being located on opposite sides ofsaid median plane; a traveling support interven ing between each truckand thel car, located upon that side of the truck which is opposite tosaid pivotal bearing thereof; and a rigid link pivotally attached to therespective trucks and extending between points on opposite sides of saidmedian plane.

5. The combination, with a car and a pair of trucks, each having an axleand wheels carried thereby; of a vertical pivot and supporting bearingintervening between each truck and the car, ythe pivot upon one truckbeing arranged near the extremity ofthe axle ot said truck, and thepivot upon the other truck being arranged near the opposite extremity ofthe axle thereof; traveling supports intervening between the car and therespective trucks, said supports being respectively located at that sideof each truck which is opposite to the said pivotal bearing thereon; anda link pivotally attached to the respective trucks at the sides thereofwhich are provided With said traveling con-l nections.

V6. The combination, with a car body and a pair of trucks, each truckhaving a plurality of axles. and pairs of Wheels carriedy respectivelyby each of said axles; of supporting means intervening between each ofsaid trucks and the car, adapted to permit rotative movements thereofwith relation to the trucks, about substantially definite very ticallaxes located at lateral vdistances from the median pla-ne of the wheelsof each truck and upon opposite sides of said median plane; travelingsupports 4intervening between each truck and the car at that side of therespective trucks which is opposite to its axis of said rotativemovement; and connecting means adapted to correlate therotative'movements of the parts about said vertical axes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed mv name at Philadelphia,Pennsyl Vania, this sixth day of February 1911.

JAMES T. HALSEY.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL,

L. FULLERTON.

